


After school, everything's fine. I swear.

by Violagirl64



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Abusive Dave's Bro | Beta Dirk Strider, Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Awkwardness, Child Abuse, Dirk Strider and Dave's Bro Aren't the Same Person, Drunk Roxy Lalonde, Friendship, Gen, Genderbending, Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, Identity Issues, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Karkat Needs a Hug, Loneliness, Maybe I'll write some romance, Minor Jake English/Dirk Strider, Nerdiness, Questioning, Sad, Sweet, Why Did I Write This?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:40:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25885981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Violagirl64/pseuds/Violagirl64
Summary: Genderbent beta kids high school AU fic. John is now Jodie, Rose is now Robin, Dave is now Dove, and Jade is now James. The alpha kids are just their siblings a few years older than they are. Trolls just also live on earth in society cuz why not.4 seventeen year olds begin their senior year of high school. Even though they'd all been great friends for years, each of them has secrets. Secrets are dangerous, very dangerous when in the wrong hands. One of these days, they won't have to hide anymore, but for now, they all find something to distract them, clubs. School yearbook, gardening club, book club, and programming club. Maybe one day they'd be able to tell the truth. One day.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	1. Rise and shine John's female equivalent!

A blaring sound at 6 AM woke up Jodie Egbert that morning. Her long, black hair was in tangled snarls as per usual. Attempting to hit the snooze button of her obnoxiously loud alarm clock, she accidentally hit it to the floor. It was way too early for this. Dragging herself out of bed, she picked up the fallen clock and put it back on her bedside table. Posters for arguably terrible movies that she still loved covered her bedroom walls, illuminated by an orange glow that crept in from the window. Sleepily, she admired this pretty sight. Dove and James would love this. They could just eat up all this aesthetic shit. Probably not Robin though. It’s probably not deep enough or maybe there just aren’t enough creepy horror terrors. After a few seconds, she realized she was losing her focus and snapped out of it. Grabbing her phone and glasses, she had gotten a text from James.

GardenGnostic (GG) started pestering EctoBiologist (EB)

GG: rise and shine sleepyhead! first day of our senior year. :D

EB: how is it that you of all people are the one to text me at this awful hour. you sleep like pretty much all the time!

GG: come on jo, its not that bad. besides, i had a feeling youd wake up right about now.

EB: if it wasn’t you, that would be a seriously creepy thing to say… like seriously

GG: whats that supposed to mean? 

EB: 1. you’re like kinda my cousin or something like that and 2. you’re probably hella psychic

GG: i thought we dropped the whole psychic thing when we were like 13 or something. :P

GG: for the record, im not psychic, but that would be pretty cool!!!

GG: btw, if you want to be able to shower and get to school on time, you should probably start getting ready right about now 

EB: BEEEEEEEP BEEEEEEP BEEEEEP

EB: what’s that?

EB: it’s my psychic sensor. it’s detected a psychic.

EB: PSYCHIC.

GG: as childish as ever. its like you never grow up. :D

GG: well, i’ll see you at school!!

EB: see you at school jay.

GardenGnostic (GG) has stopped pestering Ectobiologist (EB)

Jodie grabbed some clothes from her dresser alongside a hairbrush. Among the items was a pair of jeans and a white T shirt with a green ghost on it that was a size too big. She headed to the bathroom and took the quickest shower she could, blow dried and brushed her hair, got dressed, and brushed her teeth all within the span of 20 minutes. She pulled her hair into a low, side ponytail. Just enough to keep it out of her face. Checking the time, it was now 6:30, and she had gotten another message, this time from Dove.

TurntechGodhead (TG) has started pestering Ectobiologist (EB)

TG: you ready to surrender yourself to the horrors of the american public education system once again where well be dress coded for the scandalous showing of a shoulder, but some asshole in the back corner can just vape all hour without anyone batting a goddamn eye

TG: i mean at least juul away your youth in the bathroom like a normal fuckin douche

TG: its not even cool in an ironic way, at least those stupid cigarettes had some sort of pop culture history thing, so there’s that, but jegus fuck the whole vape thing is so stupid.

EB: good morning to you too.

EB: so you’re still not over that?

TG: apparently not.

TG: you comin to pick me up this morning or am i gonna have to walk, cuz if im walking, i gotta leave in like ten minutes or so

EB: yeah, i got ya. i’ll be there around 7 or so. 

EB: want me to grab you coffee or any thing?

TG: hell

TG: fucking

TG: yes

TG: please

TG: have i ever told you that you’re the best chick a girl could have

TG: in a bff sort of way i mean

EB: yeah, thanks dove. i got what you meant lol. you don't have to panic every moment something potentially gay happens.

EB: i’ll grab you some coffee and a muffin. my dad made some yesterday, so we have a bunch. they’re the big kind too.

TG: are they like the size of those things that look like oranges at the store but theyre not, and theyre yellow on the outside and red or pink on the inside, and theyre called some stupid name like grapefruit or some shit, but grapes are already a fruit, grapefruit is like ten times bigger than a grape, and it probably tastes like a shitty orange, so you just end up with a more expensive, shittier fruit to try to consume

EB: aaaaaaah

EB: what was the point?

EB: never mind don’t answer that.

EB: yes they’re pretty big.

TG: awesome

EB: ok, i grabbed you a muffin and poured you some coffee in that red travel mug you like. i forget. you like your coffee black, right?

TG: yep

EB: ok, i’m just about ready. I’ll be there in like ten minutes.

TG: ok, so see you in like ten minutes I guess

EB: see you in ten

Ectobiologist (EB) has stopped pestering TurntechGodhead (TG)

Slipping on her shoes, sweatshirt, and backpack, Jo said bye to her dad and went out to her car. It was her older sister's before she went off to college. The old thing was edging on 15 years old, but it still functioned well enough to get her to and from school with a little occasional interference. So what if occasionally a screwdriver needed to be involved to turn on the windshield wipers or if it smelled weird in that stale way that only old, rust bucket cars do. Jodie set the travel mugs of coffee in the cup holders, a paper bag with Dove’s muffin in it in the passenger seat, and her backpack was in the back. The crinkly, old leather seat was a little cold from the night before, but it wasn’t too bad because of the warm, rising sun. 

The drive to Dove’s apartment building was short and uneventful. It was sort of on the way to the school anyways, so it wasn’t a big deal to pick her up. She was already waiting outside, ready for her bestie. 

“You’re looking cute today!” Jodie called out to her best girl. It was quite accurate. Dove often looked like a combination of a badass and a trendsetter in her own sort of hipster way. Her blond hair was shoulder length, framing her narrow features well. She wore aviator sunglasses and dark red lipstick, and her outfit was simple. She had broken record shirt, black leggings that had several small holes and rips by the knees, a grey beanie on the back of her head, and a faded denim jacket to tie it together. 

“Thanks. I felt like doing something cute today, it being our last first day of high school and all.” She smiled, eyes hidden behind the dark shades as she got into the car. With both girls in the car, they were off to school. 

“So, how are you?”

“Not bad. I didn’t sleep well though. It must’ve just been the nerves I guess. Anticipation is a bitch sometimes.”

“Yeah, I get that.”

“But what about you?”

“Fine I guess. I’m convinced James is psychic once again. It’s almost creepy how he knows some of the things he knows.”

“Oh yeah, Robin and I have been convinced since day one, but you never seemed to get on the psychic train until we were in like 8th grade, but you got off after a while, and now you’re just sorta getting on and off at different stops because you’re probably more normal than the rest of us weirdos. I mean I’m cooler than all y’alls, and you are the mega dork to end all dorks, but the way you act is closer to what a normal person would approximately act, and while some people try to call you a dumb hoe to boost their own self esteem, I think you’re pretty smart.”

“Wow, thanks, I didn’t expect that to end in a compliment? I think you’re pretty smart too. I’ve seen some of your comebacks to assholes online, and they’re pretty fucking hilarious.”

“The only thing that beats an asshole is either not engaging or beating them at their own game.”

“Yeah. You’re pretty awesome.”

“Yeah, I know. You’re pretty awesome too.”

“Thanks.” 

The conversation lulled for a bit, and Dove took the opportunity to eat the muffin Jodie had grabbed for her. She scarfed it down in seconds, and if Jo wasn’t focused on the road, she would have probably been shocked at the sight of her usually composed friend monching down on a muffin like it was the first thing she’d eaten in days, but with coffee and a friend in the car, she pulled into the school parking lot. Today would be quite interesting. Very interesting indeed.


	2. Lalonde and Co.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin, Kanaya, and Karkat spend a nice morning in the school library.
> 
> Btw, their school has a trimester system, so they have 5 classes a day.

Robin usually got to school early, and this was no exception. Most mornings, he would be found in the library reading in one of the soft chairs. The library was one of the nicest places in the school. It had several comfy chairs, small and large tables with varying numbers of chairs in differing arrangements for different activities whether it was reading, viewing a presentation, studying, etc. He loved the quiet comfort and peace it brought. A small island of peace and knowledge in the center of a vast ocean of apathy and angst was like his second home. Even if students weren’t able to check out books yet, some still brought them for a nice place to read.

He was beginning a book this morning, called “The Oracle’s tempest.” It was about a young lady corrupted by dark forces, leading to her gaining vast power and knowledge but at a sharp cost. Dark fantasy was his favorite. Luckily, since this was written rather recently, the likelihood of some blatant racism was low, but considering Lovecraft’s works fall into the genre, the bar was pretty low. The flow and effective use of vocabulary of this book were nice. He found himself analyzing the book as he read the first chapter as if he were an English teacher and a conspiracy theorist simultaneously. He would take note of the use of language to describe characters and settings while trying to keep track of small details that seemed like they would be important later for speculation. To many, it would be baffling or maddening to see a teenage boy sit in a library at 6:30 in the morning, but this was just Robin’s way of life.

Eventually, his phone went off.

GrimAuxilatrix (GA) has begun trolling TentacleTherapist (TT)

GA: Good Morning

TT: Good morning to you too, Kanaya.

GA: I Would Presume You Are In The Library Again.

TT: Your presumption would be accurate.

GA: Alright. I Just Arrived, And I Was Curious To See If This Habit Of Ours Was To Continue.

TT: You talk as if I would just randomly decide not to continue with our time honored tradition. I can assure you that is certainly not the case.

GA: I Was Just Checking. I Will See You In A Few Minutes.

TT: Alright, I'll see you in a few.

GrimAuxilatrix (GA) has ceased trolling TentacleTherapist (TT)

Not too long later, a very well put together troll walked in. Her presentation and posture alone gave off an aura of confidence and professionalism, even if she was only a little under nine sweeps. Her clothes had a multitude of flowing layers, dark colors and reds contrasting to the her pale skin and green lips. Her short hair had its way of nearly defying gravity in an such an elegant manner that in the right lighting, she could look like a movie star. Even dressed casually, her beauty knew few bounds.

“There you are.”

“I told you I was in the library. I don’t see how you could have missed me.”

“I should probably warn you, Robin. Karkat may or may not be joining us this morning.” Kanaya spoke gently, her voice sounding like silk against the soft silence of the cool library.

“You needn’t worry. He and I get along well enough. I’m not bothered by him. In fact, his loud ramblings can be rather entertaining so long as it’s directed at someone who deserves it.” She was almost shocked by Robin’s acceptance of Karkat joining. The two simply sat in the library reading their respective books while awaiting the arrival of their louder acquaintance. Kanaya’s taste in literature was not all that different to Robin’s, but she was more interested in the paranormal and undead, specifically vampires. Both Alternian and Earthen fiction was amicable to her tastes so long as it was well written though.

After about ten minutes of reading with occasional small talk, a few students came in to use the computers to attempt to play video games. Shortly thereafter, one Karkat Vantas strode in angrily, coffee and book in hand. The bags under his eyes were more pronounced than usual, and he wore the hood of his hoodie up, short horns peaking out of slits cut for them. 

“Jegus fuck, these asswipes don’t know how to park. It’s like their lusii or parents or whatever just HANDED the keys to a bunch of stupid wigglers like a bunch of idiotic nookstains.” Karkat was clearly trying to keep his voice down with moderate success. Both Kanaya and Robin chuckled at their grumpy friend.

“You seem to be rather angry about this, but not angry enough to shout in the library. Either you are mildly annoyed and tired, or you just care more about the eardrums of others than your anger. Potentially both, but I think the former is more likely. That, or you don’t want to face the wrath of those in charge. You have quite the reputation for your raucous diatribes, so it wouldn't surprise me, but truly, I am fascinated by the level of volume you've managed to achieve at such an hour.” Robin’s calm observations may have angered Karkat more.

“Fuck off, Lalonde.” No, just annoyed. If he was angry, he would have raised his voice. Taking a sip of his coffee, he opened up his book. It was an Alternian Romance drama likely about a highblooded troll falling head over heels pale or flushed for a gold blood while young, only to be interrupted by the highblood’s ex lover of similar highblood status as the two are torn apart and the highblood is forced into a relationship with her ex. Despite his constantly irritable disposition, Karkat had a big soft spot for romance. It was somewhat endearing to see him occasionally ramble about quadrants, relationship dynamics, their portrayal in media, and so much more, even if it did drive them crazy.

Eventually more and more people filed in as busses arrived, and the library was no longer peaceful. The trio knew this was the signal to head to first period, and find a good stopping point before the beginning of class.

“What do you two have for classes?” Kanaya politely inquired.

“I’m a TA for Creative writing, then I have Orchestra, AP psych, AP calc, and CIS literature.” It would be a difficult schedule to maintain. CIS lit would require him to read twice as much as he already did on his own time, but he didn't mind. It would be a welcome challenge.

“Holy shit. You make my schedule look like a fucking senior slide. I have Creative writing, Film studies, Precalc, AP Gov, and regular English, but it looks like I get to spend an extra hour with the king of gogdamn psychobabble nonsense each morning. Sometimes I wonder ”

“Well, I suppose I don’t have any classes with either of you, so that’s a shame, but it would also appear that I have the same lunch as both of you. Social sciences and mathematics have first lunch, and I happen to have Child development fourth period.”

“Isn’t that the class where you learn about how human babies and troll wigglers are raised?”

“Yes, that would be correct. It seems appropriate considering my Lusus is a mother grub herself. It is quite likely that I will end up working with young wigglers in my future to some extent, so I best be prepared.” The two boys were mildly weirded out by this, but they understood that this was just the way of Kanaya Maryam. Motherly in more ways than one.

The three parted ways. The boys headed to the English department where their shared first hour would be as Kanaya headed towards the science department for their respective classes. A lovely start to a day that would mark the beginning of the end for their high school careers.


	3. Coolest Gal on the planet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That's right my dudes. We're actually meeting Dove! Who's ready for Strider.

At this point, it was 7:30, and Dove was walking into her first hour class: AP Music Theory. She wasn’t an ensemble musician, but she did know how to mix music, and more knowledge definitely couldn’t hurt. This was going to be her hardest class, but she was willing to go through with it. The class began as most do: syllabus, rules explanation, and a lame ‘get to know you’ activity. There were only about 15 or so students in the class, so it went by really fast. The bell rang before she knew it. On her way to her second class, Film studies, she spotted one Karkat Vantas.

“Hey Karkles! What’s up my dude!”

“Oh no. Oh fuck no.” Karkat’s natural speaking voice was really loud, but for those who knew him well, it was easy to tell when he was actually angry. He didn’t seem angry, but he did seem tired.

“Oh yes.”

“Dear Gog no. Never call me that again.”

“Would you prefer Karkitty?”

“Who are you? Nepeta?”

“Chillax, I’m just messing with you Karkat.”

“I KNOW. I’M NOT A FUCKING WIGGLER.”

“Jeez, who pissed in your coffee today? You’re really irritable today, like more than usual, and that’s saying something.”

“To your tiny think pan’s shock, no one. I am merely not used to this early morning bullshit. How do you humans even function in this system?”

“Not well. You’ll readjust soon. We all do eventually because we’re like mindless fucking drones up in this joint. So mindless, we occasionally say beep boop in unison in December before winter break brings back our fleeting sense of fucking individuality.” She did robot arms during the ‘beep boop’ to sell the whole robot schtick.

“You’re fucking ridiculous. I hope you know that Strider.” By this point, they were walking into their classroom. Film studies was a class taken mostly by juniors and seniors looking for an easy A, but there were a few students who were actually interested in the topic like Karkat, Dove, and one Jodie Egbert.

“Karkat! Dove! You guys took Film Studies too?” She was as excited as ever.

“You know it.”

“Oh fuck. Kill me now.” He seemed genuinely upset to some degree.

“Why, are you that upset by me Karkat?”

“No. It’s not you Jo, it’s her.” He pointed over to a troll girl behind Jo.

“Oh, Vriska? She’s a little scary at times, but she’s really not all that bad. You should give her a chance, Karkat.”

“No. No way. I’ve given her LOADS of chances, and every time, she does something terrible and blames it on other people for not stopping her and then not immediately forgiving her. How YOU of all people manage to stand her is absolutely fucking beyond me.”

“Wow Karkat, I’m honestly so hurt by that.” Vriska overheard that conversation. The girl stood up from the table and walked over with sass at maximum levels. “You should be ashamed. To think I ever actually stood up for you when we were little, and now you're talking about ME behind my back. It’s pathetic. Come on, Jodie. Are you sure you should be hanging out with Karkat? Clearly, this kind of negativity isn’t a good influence on your mental wellbeing.” This pissed Karkat off more, but he was shooshed by Dove.

“Wow, I don’t know you that well, and this is more Robin’s domain, but that was pretty blatantly manipulative. Like, you weren’t even trying to hide it.” Her tone of voice doubled down on her suspicion of the troll. “I don’t know you, and I don’t wanna start a fight or any of that bullshit, but this is kinda shifty. You’re probably chill, but Karkat and I are just gonna sit elsewhere. Jodie, if you want to sit with Vriska, that’s cool. No hard feelings.” She deescalated the situation quickly, dragging Karkat to a table elsewhere in the room.

“Okay, yeah, I’m gonna sit with her, but we totally have to talk after class.”

“Ok, have fun”

“Good choice, Jodie. You’re smarter than Tavros at least.”

“Grrrrrrrrrrr-”

“Vriska’s out of our control, and Jo is smarter than she looks. They’ll be fine.”

The class passed by rather uneventfully. Dove and Karkat would occasionally poke fun at each other, but nothing that would push too far or get too loud. After 2nd period, Dove had English. She said her goodbyes to Karkat, and walked down the hall with Jodie, talking about class schedules. They didn’t have any classes together after, and Jo had second lunch, so they wouldn’t see each other until after school. Agreeing to meet up at Jo’s car 5 minutes after school, they parted ways as Dove entered the English department and Jo continued on to get to her computer programming class.

English was extremely boring. The teacher was nice, but an hour of boring activities and mandatory explanations of homework expectations just got so monotonous that Dove started to zone out.

She was interrupted by a soft buzz from the pocket of her jacket. Darting her eyes around, she decided it was safe to check. It was a text from Bro.

Bro: Roof. 3. Bring Cal.

Unlike her friends, her bro didn’t use Pesterchum or its sister program Trollean, so there wasn’t a cheesy handle. Actually, that’s probably for the best because it would probably be something like PuppetPimp, which no teenager needs in their contact list, let alone as their legal guardian. Checking the time, it was only about 11. _Fuck, it’s early for this. He’s probably having a bad day. This isn’t gonna be fun. At least I have 4 and a half hours to prepare this time._ The rest of the class went by painfully slow. Anxiousness bubbled within her as the anticipation grew. When the bell rang, she practically ran out the room, but in a super cool and ironic way of course.

She had lunch with a good number of her friends. She sat at a table with Karkat, Robin, Kanaya, and Terezi. It was a good amount of fun and laughter.

“So, you’re telling me that you actually shooshed KARKAT?” Terezi lowered her red sunglasses to create the appearance of dramatic eye contact.

“Yep, I even did the little ‘pap pap’ thing. Stopped him right in his tracks right before shit hit the fan. Once I showed up, shit wanted nothing to do with the fan. Guess I’m just that cool.”

“Pfffffffft HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAH.” It was a mighty cackle, one the entire cafeteria could hear.

“Fuck both of you.”

“Love you Karkles”

“Oh calm down you big, melodramatic idiot. I’m laughing at both of your stupidity.”

“I take offense to that too then. How could you do this Terezi? I thought we were cool girls together.” The sarcasm was heavy with this one.

“Oh please, I’m cool. You’re like the weird 2000’s cool that’s trying to be some compromise between me and my ‘totes rad sista’, but your color choice is cool. I’ll give you that.”

“Careful. You might become like those two if you get too analytical.”

“Said the girl wearing sunglasses indoors while arguing over a facade made to conceal her insecurities.” Robin's calm quip got silent stares from almost everyone at the table. 

“You wound me. Please avenge me Terezi cuz I dunno if I'm gonna survive this. My ego might have just shattered right before our eyes. If this burn is what kills me, at least tell the mayor I loved him as if he were my son.” She clutched her chest, pretending to be dying in the arms of her friend.

“Who the fuck is the mayor?”

“Does it matter? This is Dove we’re talking about. Her capacity for inane bullshit is higher than any sane individual's.”

By this point lunch was almost over. It was time for 4th period. That creeping sense of dread returned as she sat down in her class. There were two hours left of the school day. Thankfully, the classes themselves were fine. Math was one of Dove’s strong points and she interested in economics so Econ would be fun. If only those classes didn’t end. If only, but alas, the bell came too quickly. 2:30 PM. 30 minutes until she had to meet her bro on the roof.


	4. Strider's First Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who's ready for some ANGST. Dove heads home after her first day and a text from Bro.
> 
> TW: Physical Abuse, mention of other forms of abuse. Stay safe pls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I'm starting classes, so the next legit update may be a week later than I planned. It's not like really anyone reads this tho lol.

This was the absolute last thing she wanted to do, but a text from Bro made it clear. “Roof. 3. Bring Cal.” It was rare that he would want to strife so early, but that was probably the point. Getting another lift from Jodie, she waited in the car as they drove bouncing her knee without even noticing.

“You doing okay? You seem jittery.”

“What? Me, jittery? No way. I’m like a statue. So still you wouldn’t even understand.”

“And I’m a modified clone of Nicolas Cage, but seriously, what’s up?”

“It’s nothing. Bro just tends to do something weird on first days of school years. I’m just anticipating something niche and chaotic to jump out of the shadows, probably a new puppet or something like that.” It wasn’t a complete lie, but there were a few tactical omissions.

“Okay, sometimes I forget how weird you Striders are.”

“You mean cool.”

“No. Weird. You three are a bunch of weirdos without a doubt. Oh yeah, that reminds me, how is Dirk doing these days? Have you seen him lately?”

“We don’t talk as much as I wish we did. Your sister probably knows more about him than I do…” Dirk was kicked out as soon as he graduated high school. He got a huge scholarship for robotics though, so he was able to go to college pretty easily.

“Oh, ok. I kinda thought you two would stay in touch better.”

“Yeah, I did too…” She trailed off a bit, but stopped herself before she got too into the thoughts that lied after that statement. Opening that can of worms was too much for the moment. “Well, uh, we’re here now, so I should probably get out before people get pissed about the teens in front of the building that are in front being a bunch of jackasses. Thanks for the coffee and the ride. You know how much I love you. See you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow. I’ll probably pick you up again!”

“Okay” With a smile, Jodie drove off. As her friend left, Dove took a deep breath, walked inside and began her ascent. When she reached the apartment, she put her backpack and jacket in her room and checked the time.

“2:50. I have ten minutes. I can prepare this time. It’s gonna be ok. It’ll be ok. This is fine.” Going to the fridge, she grabbed the lightest of the shitty swords that seemed least likely to break. After all, this was primarily a test of agility rather than strength. The sword was mainly a means of defense. If she didn’t want the shit kicked out of her, she had to be faster than Bro, which was no easy task.

Eventually, she had to go. Grabbing the creepy puppet on the couch, she headed up to the roof. Bro was waiting with his sword in hand.

“I see you took your sweet time.” She walked over to the air conditioning unit and set Cal on the ground next to it. “What, you couldn’t risk being a little early?”

“Needed to stretch and get prepped mentally. You don’t always give me much warning. Use the resources you’re given, right?”

“Better see a difference then.” His terrible pointy anime shades shimmered in the sunlight not unlike a villain changing their focus to one hero in a group. She focused on his movements. He rarely gave much warning with most strikes, so defending had to be a game of patterns, figuring out his next strike before he makes the one before it. It was a graceful dance between sister and brother except the stakes were much higher. One false move meant blood. Vulnerability was not an option for either. Both were resourceful, using any available opening to their advantage, but what Bro had in experience and strength vastly outweighed Dove’s, giving him a large advantage in a strife. This wasn't to say she couldn't fight, but she rarely took excessive risks with Bro if it looked dangerous, and here... Each strike could be dangerous. Left and right it was a swing from Bro and a dodge from Dove for minutes on end: a game of cat and mouse. She could never find a point of opportunity to make a safe strike, regardless of how aggressive a move he made was. He was always two steps ahead, and being three steps ahead while playing defense was a recipe for disaster.

“You’re holding back.” His voice sounded cold and unfeeling. She kept silent. She wasn’t sure how true it was, but she knew one thing for sure. She couldn’t play defense forever. She had to start taking more risks from this point on.

Continuing to watch Bro move, she knew what an idea pooped into her head, a potential opening if timed right. It could backfire horribly, but she had to do something. Dodging more swings and strikes, she prepped for his next attempt to dash, knowing it would come soon. When his sword came down, she used her own to block the strike, stopping the blade. This created an opening. Instead of using her sword to attack, she kicked him in the ‘no no square’. He was sent back, but this didn’t give Dove an advantage in any way.

Snapping his fingers, Little Cal came flying towards her, knocking her over before she could even fully process it. She got up as fast as she could, but it wasn’t fast enough. Bro had the upper hand. Before she knew it, he was close enough to swing his sword directly at her. She used hers to block it, but it shattered on contact, shards of metal cutting her in various places. She recoiled from the hit, falling down again, bleeding this time.

“Pathetic.” He towered over her, looking down at the teen with something akin to disappointment and disgust. “To think I believed you could’ve exceeded my expectations for once, but no. I could kill you…” Approaching the girl, he sliced her leg as she tried to crawl back to escape him. “But I won’t.” There was a reserved malice in his voice. It was as though he was about to say more, but refused. He turned away, grabbed Cal, and headed down the stairs.

Dove spent a few minutes trying to stand up, leg bleeding more than she would’ve hoped. Blood soaked her clothes as she limped down the stairs, trying to avoid attention from anyone who would call the cops. All the while, each step on her left leg felt like agony. Luckily, their apartment was the closest to the stairs, so it didn’t last too long. She headed straight for her room to grab her pajamas and medical kit. She kept one with her secret stash of snacks and apple juice.

After grabbing her supplies, she headed to the bathroom. Puppets littered the hallway in ridiculous amounts. To most it would be unsettling, but she was used to it. Tears poked at the corners of her eyes from the pain of her leg with each step, even when she used the wall for support. It was excruciating.

Eventually, she reached the bathroom, looking to see if any of Bro’s puppet cams were there. After a minute or so, she realized there weren’t any at the moment. Then, she sat down on the toilet and began patching herself up. She carefully took off her leggings to get a good view of her injury. The cut was deep, but she’d seen worse. Taking out a small, clean cloth and the hydrogen peroxide, she cleaned the wound, hissing and whimpering occasionally from the sting of it. It needed stitches, which she had to do herself. Steadying her hand as best she could, she pulled out the supplies necessary for that as well and began to sew it shut, going as slow and careful as she could in order to close the wound, but eventually, it was done. She placed some gauze over it and some medical tape to keep it on. It wasn’t perfect, but it would have to do for now.

She scanned her body for other cuts that needed addressing, but most of them were small. She did clean them and pick out shards of metal of the ones that had them and bandage them up. A few were kinda gross, but none were as bad as her leg. Putting on her pajamas, she was in something more comfortable that wasn’t blood soaked. She rinsed the blood out of her clothes as best she could in the shower. It wasn’t like she was going anywhere or anything with the state she was in. Using the wall as a support, she walked back to her room, closing and locking the door behind her, eventually sitting down at her desk.

“Might as well mix something while I have the time.” She spent her evening completely uninterrupted. Playing around with different sounds, she eventually landed on a cool sounding background that she could add lyrics and a melody to. She ended up searching through her notebooks for unused verses and rhymes she’d written down absentmindedly. Finding ones of well fitting themes that fit her rhythm and time structures was tough, but it gave a base to work off of instead of just spitballing ideas out of her brain all at once. Organized chaos was a part of the whole thing. It was nice to do this; in fact, the process almost distracted her from the pain shooting from each cut and bruise. By the time she finished the song, it was almost 9:30.

Exhausted and in pain, she counted the hours since her injuries and debated on whether or not it was safe to take ibuprofen. The blood thinning side effect could be not so great if the cuts and bruises hadn’t stopped bleeding or finished clotting enough, and going to the hospital was not on her to do list any time soon. Checking the bandaging for any signs of bleeding through, she ultimately decided it was probably fine. It happened more than 6 hours ago, and they were bandaged up, nothing was too close to any major organs either, so she took some, washing it down with a bottle of apple juice from her hidden stash.

She laid on her bed, thinking that going to sleep early might be better in the long run. She felt completely wiped, and she wanted to, but something stopped her. A voice echoed in her head as she stared up at the ceiling,

“I could kill you…” There was a pause. The fear of that moment earlier sit uncomfortably with her. She actually thought she might die, looking up at those cold, unfeeling shades. He very well could've killed her in that moment, and the thought that he might have tried a few times crossed her mind, “But I won’t” It seemed restrained. Like he wanted to say more. He didn’t kill her _this time_. That was the thing with Bro. You could never tell what he was thinking. It could be a joke or a thinly veiled threat and you’d only know later on when the punchline or punishment was revealed. This sat heavily with Dove for a while, making her head spin as she thought through it, mumbling.

“But if it… oh god what if he will… what would I do?…” The incoherent thoughts spilled out quietly with whispers unheard outside her bedroom door. After minutes of contemplating her potential death by strife, her thoughts turned to her friends. “oh god, what would they think?… Robin would be too harsh on himself for not seeing the signs of danger… James would probably be hurt by it… Karkat…” Despite her eyes remaining dry, she started to silently sob as she thought about Karkat and Jodie, her two best friends. She didn’t want to lose them, not for anything. In her moment of vulnerability, she stopped and contemplated texting Dirk. She was scared, but it wasn’t an immediate emergency. Bro wouldn’t take kindly to the idea of them texting, and it could cause more tension between the three. 

Dirk and Dove had a special set of codes in case of emergencies. There were 7 emergencies that if Dove found herself in, she could text him to help get her out. Dirk didn’t want to leave his sister behind completely. It would be extremely unsafe to just let her be there with their demented guardian, so the codes gave her a lifeline.

Code Red was a medical emergency directly related to Bro physically hurting her in a way that needed hospitalization.

Code Orange was a medical emergency not directly related to Bro, but she was unable to get medical attention.

Code Yellow was literally ANY sexual abuse. Neither thought Bro or Dove’s friends would do anything like that, but just in case, Code yellow was there.

Code Green regarded the potential of her being drugged. If she was still able to text him, he could get her out of a bad situation.

Code Blue was if she was scared for her life. If she had a reason to believe that Bro or someone else might try to kill her, it may be a good idea to text Dirk at least.

Code Indigo was if Bro kicked her out or she ran away from home.

Code Violet was if Bro did ANYTHING to hurt Dove’s friends.

She continued to lay there contemplating whether or not it was a code blue. Bro said he won’t kill her, but the way he said it made her worry it was more than just a mind game. This time, however, she decided to wait. If it was a threat, he didn’t seem too eager to act on it just yet. If it came up again, she would text him. No need to jump the gun on this. Focusing on her breath she calmed down; this was bound to be an overreaction.

For a moment, she seemed to go into a trance. A soft, young, male voice spoke into her mind in unison with her as she quietly whispered,

“Secret number 1, my guardian is a deranged lunatic, and there are days where I’m terrified he might kill me.”

After speaking, she felt unexplainably tired. Her eyelids felt like lead as she drifted off into sleep. Oddly enough, it felt warm and welcoming compared to the cold, unfeeling of the apartment. It was like someone was watching over her, keeping her safe while she slept, but she couldn’t tell why.

“Get some sleep, kid. This will all pass eventually. It’s all only temporary, no matter how fucked up it is.” A ghostly hand removed her shades from her face and placed them on her desk. The rest of figure was formless, but a soft, red glow radiated around it. It put her blanket overtop her sleeping form and disappeared. This would be the first, but not the last instance of something supernatural happening to Dove or her friends, not by a long shot.


	5. Who needs people when you have plants?

James Harley woke up in his backyard garden Wednesday morning. Well, calling it morning might be a stretch. It would be more accurate to say it was 4:23 AM. He didn’t remember falling asleep there the night before, but it happened from time to time. It was still dark out, and his clothes from the previous day were damp from the grass. Sitting up, he looked around. The sun wasn’t up yet, but small lanterns around the garden were on, giving it the feel of a fairy village.

Jake had been out the night before, probably with his boyfriend, so James was likely home alone. Jake probably would have woken his little brother up if he found him asleep in the garden, but alas, this was not the case. Due to the fact that he felt quite well rested, he decided to just have an early start to the day. He stood up and walked in through the back door and flipped on the lights. Meandering into the kitchen, he noticed Jake’s coat and keys were on the counter alongside someone else’s and a pair of pointy sunglasses. James walked over to the sink, filling and starting an electric kettle for a nice cup of tea. Letting the water boil, he quietly went to his room to get some clean, warm, dry clothes. After changing, he noticed the door to Jake’s room was now open. Was Jake up already?

Deciding to give his brother some privacy, knowing that even if the door was open, things his eyes were not meant to see potentially lied beyond it. He closed the door, the only audible sound being a soft click made when the handle was released, and he returned to the kitchen to finish making his early morning beverage. As it turned out, someone was already there.

“Oh, hey James, for a second I almost thought you were your brother.”

“Hi Dirk. What are you doing up so early?” Neither spoke much above a whisper, knowing that Jake was likely still asleep.

“I could ask you the same.”

“I don’t know. I woke up in the garden though. I probably just had one of those weird episodes where I just sorta fall asleep at odd times. It happens every once in a while, and it’s no big deal.”

“I guess that explains the dirt on your face there.”

“Yeah, it would, but seriously, why are you up so early, Dirk?” James was pouring hot water into a mug that said ‘who needs people when you have plants’ and grabbing a tea bag from a cupboard. Dirk shifted awkwardly a bit. He seemed guarded and restrained.

“Well, you were so kind as to explain, so I suppose it would be best for me to reciprocate. I have classes today, and I want to get back to my dorm before I have to head to any lectures. Also, neither of us have the sleeping patterns of a normal person, so naturally, getting up at 4 AM randomly is an occurrence that has indeed, happened.”

“Okay, I get it. Oh yeah, I just remembered something. You’re one of Dove’s brothers, right?”

“Uh yeah. What about it?” He was leaning back on the counter, gently raising a hand to scratch the back of his neck.

“Just curious. There aren’t many people with the last name Strider who wear sunglasses indoors. Dove get’s all weird when I ask about her family though.”

“How is she doing?”

“I didn’t get to see her yesterday, but from what I hear, not much different from last year. She’s got a good schedule I think. I’ll talk with her today about it before class.”

“Alright. Well, if you do, tell her I said hi.”

“Will do.”

“Hey James, I think I’m gonna stick around a little while longer, at least until the sun rises if that’s ok.”

“Yeah, it should be. I’m just gonna watch some cartoons for a bit.”

“Oh, which ones?”

“The best ones.” Both chuckled a little bit at that as James turned on the TV in the living room, which was still clearly visible from the kitchen counter, putting on Netflix. Even though they really only knew each other through Jake, Dirk and James could bond over their shared love of children’s cartoons. After a few minutes of searching, he found that several of his favorite cartoons had been removed.

“What? Squiddles and My Little Pony are gone.”

“Damn, I was hoping we could see some horses and the power of friendship, but not today, Rainbow Dash. Not today.”

“Sometimes I forget that you and your sister are both really weird sometimes.”

“You simply misunderstand the layers of cool that My Little Pony has both ironic and genuine.”

“No, it’s not that. It’s the way you both say really weird things.”

“How so?”

“I don’t know. Dove goes on weird tangents, and you’re you… if that makes any sense. It’s not a bad thing! I’m not trying to be rude. I’m just saying it-”

“I didn’t think it was. You and your brother are kinda weird yourselves.”

“Yeah, I know. Very few people can be found up at 4 AM after falling in their backyard garden, and Jake is… Jake… Anyways, Octonauts looks like it’s right up our alley. Undersea kids show with anthropomorphic land animals as researchers. It looks like it even teaches a bit of marine biology.”

“Cool.” James hit play and they began their watch of the cute kids show. They watched an episode and both decided it was a definite fit. Even if their other two shows were gone, they didn’t have to freak out about it. The intro to the second episode was playing as Jake groggily walked into the kitchen.

“What in blazes are you two doing up at this dreadful hour?”

“Watching cartoons.” The two answered in unison.

“Right… I need coffee.” He started up the coffee maker, pouring water and coffee grounds, changing filters, etc., but after clicking the start button, be walked over to his little boyfriend and brother, both seated on the couch. Despite being only half awake, he was lucid enough to notice the dirt on James’ face. “By Jove, did you happen to fall asleep in the garden again Jamie?” He nodded. “Oh, well I’m sorry I forgot to check up on you.”

“It’s okay. We’re lucky it didn’t get that cold this time.” He laughed a little. It was nice having an older sibling that cared about him. Speaking of that older sibling, Jake had slowly begun nuzzling against Dirk like a heat vampire.

“So warm.” It was a humorous sight. A few minutes later, a soft beeping could be heard.

“Babe, I think your coffee is done.” He gently nudged the sleepy adult.

“Five more minutes…”

“But don’t you want to get yourself coffee?”

“Tell James to get me some.”

“You left me outside. I’m not getting you your coffee.”

“Fiiiiiine, I’ll get up.” He begrudgingly stood up and walked back over. The two adjacent rooms were only separated by the change from wood flooring to carpet, so this was no long trek. He poured his coffee into a mug that said “This is my favorite tea cup.” It was a gift from Dirk, of course. Jake then walked back over to the two of them as the show kept on playing.

“Kwazii is just like Jake. Prove me wrong.” James jokingly quipped.

“No need. Your assessment of your bro doesn’t seem to be incorrect.”

“Who in blazes is Kwazii?”

“He’s the cat. He goes on and on about wanting to go on adventures, but he’s also a huge scaredy cat. He does go on adventures though!”

“So that’s who you see me as?”

The three joked as the episode continued, enjoying each other’s company. The morning carried on, the sun gently beginning to peak over the horizon as the minutes ticked by. Dirk left the two brothers as they both got ready for the day ahead, and eventually, James’ phone pinged with the sound Pesterchum made.

GrimAuxilatrix(GA) has started trolling GardenGnostic(GG)

GA: Good Morning.

GA: I Simply Wanted To Remind You That Gardening Club Begins Today.

GG: kanaya! :D

GG: good morning, and thanks for the reminder!!!

GA: Not A Problem

GG: see you after school, lady club president! :P

GA: See You Then, Sir Club Vice President

GrimAuxilatrix(GA) has ceased trolling GardenGnostic(GG)

After some time had passed, James had said goodbye to his older brother and left for school, choosing to meet up with two of his old friends, Dove and Jodie. He didn’t have any classes with either of the girls, but the antics the three of them would get into was usually entertaining. This particular morning, the group was arguing over Jodie’s terrible taste in film…

“I’m telling you, Nicolas Cage is awesome.”

“Dude, no. Nicolas Cage was good in like one movie and the rest are total shit. It’s like shit mountain up there with a shitty declaration of independence to boot. Did you even watch Face Off?”

“I did, and it wasn’t even that bad. James, back me up.”

“Uhh…” The weight the next few words had could shape the course of the tense movie debate. “I haven’t seen that one, sadly. Jake said it’s great though, and American Treasure was pretty cool, but the movies he’s in usually aren’t my style, sorry Jo.”

“At least Jake likes it.” Fatal mistake.

“C’mon bro, Jake liking a movie is like giving a movie the official seal of movie: congrats, you exist.” James chuckled at Dove’s quippy remark. It was a fair judgement. Jake loved just about every movie he’d ever seen, the only things impacting it being the number of blue people or plots about adventure.

The teens joked and argued as they sat in the school cafeteria just until the warning bell rang.

“7:25 already?” The sound of disbelief rang from Jodie’s mouth.

“Time flies sometimes.”

“Well, it appears that this chic right here has to get the fuck out if I don’t wanna be late.”

“Wouldn’t wanna keep the rockstar from her adoring fans.”

“You know it Jay. The chics and the chads all lining up just to get a piece of me.”

“You two are so weird.” All of them laughed, saying their goodbyes and heading off to their classes. Dove seemed to have a slight limp, but James only noticed after he’d said goodbye. Hopefully it was nothing. If it came up again, James would text her and express his concern, but now, he was headed off to AP Physics.

Several classes and an entertaining lunch that featured Sollux calling Eridan an “inthufferable ignoramuth” later, James sat pondering at his desk. Everything was going just fine, but it all felt so off, so wrong, like the clouds were floating in the wrong sky. Was something missing? He couldn’t tell. All he knew was something wasn’t right, and he couldn’t wait for the end of the day.

Eventually, that last class drew to a close, and James was headed back over to the science department. Kanaya and a couple other students were in the plant room, which was filled with various sized planters, UV lamps, and a cupboard for other supplies. The room was small compared too most of the classrooms, but it could fit a fair number of people.

Kanaya handed him a stack of papers to hand out as she explained the rules of gardening club and the kinds of things the students could grow. The Biology teacher was really laid back, and she just sort of left it to the two seniors to tell the freshies not to lick the tables. That was a real problem one year, and it ended up on the syllabus for Bio because of it. Outside of table lickers though, gardening club was usually very calm compared to the hectic, unstoppable chaos exhibited by the rest of the school.

After Kanaya and James explained the rules and expectations, handed out forms, and answered questions, there wasn’t much to do, so they told the others where to get bus passes if they needed them and headed out. Everything was messy and complicated in high school, so it was nice to have some reprieve. As James started to walk home, it wasn’t far, and the warm sun’s rays were as clear as ever before, he calmly thought to himself, _maybe this year won’t suck so bad after all._


	6. Sisters and Mothers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin struggles with his mother and sister's addictions. 
> 
> I'm kinda harsh to Roxy and Mom Lalonde in this chapter, but that's mainly because even though it's in 3rd person, it's mostly from Robin's perspective who is currently fairly unsympathetic with them, so if that's something that bugs you, that's your warning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm finally back! I'm not gonna have a clear update schedule anymore. Whenever stuff is done, I'll post.
> 
> Also, my orchestral knowledge makes a cameo here. It's fun playing the sibling instrument to a fictional character's.

It was day three of the school year and in accordance to Robin’s hashtag dark academia aesthetic life, he felt like he didn’t belong at home. The number of books didn’t matter. It was the stench of booze that really bugged him.

Their home was a meld of current trends and those of almost 50 years ago with a stunning view of a lake through the large windows, covering much of the wall on one side of the large home. Sleek furniture of whites and grey, accented with pinks and purples adorned much of the home. Things like glass tables, cat shaped throw pillows, and the shapes of the furniture was right out of the 70's filled the kitchen and living room. Detailed paintings of wizards were also a sight to behold. Robin wasn’t sure how to feel about those. It was no secret that he enjoyed fantasy and wizards, and on the basis of color palette, yes it technically worked, but the concepts of high fantasy and modern design together didn’t sit right in Robin’s mind.

As he walked down the stairs of the house that rainy morning, he found Roxy sprawled oh so carelessly asleep on the couch next to a nearly empty bottle of vodka.

“Oh, dear sister, you always seem to find yourself inebriated at the most inopportune of times and places. Perhaps this should do the trick.” Passive aggressive wars and tribulations were his truest speciality. He started a pot of coffee, grabbed a bottle of over the counter painkillers, and pulled a pen and piece of paper from his bag. While the coffee was brewing, he drafted his letter.

_Dearest Roxy the Drunken,_

_Remember you have an 8 AM class Thursday mornings. It is not my job to ensure you are lucid enough to remember the basics of coding._

_Sincerely,_

_Robin the Grimdark_

It was certainly something. He grabbed the bottle next to his sister and put it back in the booze cupboard. Sadly, this was a usual sight in the Lalonde household. Roxy’s drinking problems were pretty obvious compared to their mother’s. Rowan Lalonde was the queen of pretending she didn’t keep wine in the opaque, black water bottle she carried with her at all times.

Robin placed the note on the glass coffee table with the bottle of painkillers, picked up the vodka and put it back in the cupboard where it belongs. When the coffee finished brewing, he poured himself a cup and his sister one as well, setting the steaming hot cup with the note and painkillers.

He checked the time, 6:20, he would be late to his friends’ morning gathering. He decided he would text Kanaya in a few minutes once he finished his little scheme. Luckily, Roxy left her phone unattended, meaning Robyn’s shenanigans would be perfect here. Face ID was the worst idea anyone ever came up with. He didn’t even need to guess his sister’s password. Setting a 6:45 and a 7 AM alarm at full volume would do the trick.

TentacleTherapist (TT) has started pestering GrimAuxilatrix (GA)

TT: Good morning, Kanaya.

TT: I apologize for my tardiness in advance. I’m just about to leave my home. I should only be about 5 minutes late.

GA: Oh, Good Morning Robin.

GA: Might I Ask Why You’ll Be Joining Us Late?

TT: Same as always it seems. I ought to get going. As pleasant as it would be to continue this texting conversation, speaking with you and Karkat in person is preferable.

TentacleTherapist (TT) has stopped pestering GrimAuxilatrix (GA)

He didn’t want to shut down the conversation like that, Kanaya was a lovely friend, but she could be rather nosey from time to time. It would be rather unpleasant to deal with her fussing over how his family functioned. It would be rather pointless and would ultimately do little to address anything. This was really a Roxy and Rowan problem, not his.

Getting in his used Sedan, he headed off to school. Listening to the news on the old radio while the rain came down making soft sounds as each droplet hit the windshield was rather pleasant. Running into the school building after arriving, he quickly retreated into the library. The school clock said that it was 6:40, a little later than expected.

“Good morning Robin.” Kanaya looked up from her book for a moment before looking right back down.

“Fucking finally.”

“Hello Kanaya, Karkat. I see that you two made it here alright.”

“What kept you? It’s not like you to be the last one here. You usually appear here _before_ the ass crack of dawn. Not after.”

“I slept in a little later than usual. Everyone needs a little extra sleep from time to time.”

“If you say so, Lalonde.”

The group spent their time reading, making occasional small talk, and the day went by without issue. Classes were fine, they did some sight reading in orchestra, banter between friends was ultimately unremarkable, and Robin drove home in the rain to see his sister working on what appeared to be a project for school.

“Hey Robbie!! Thankss for the coffee and ibu-iiibuuuprofen.” She loudly slurred. She’s taken to day drinking too… not very surprising, it’s Roxy after all. It’s not Robin’s responsibility to keep the woman in check.

“No problem sis.” He headed up to his room. It would be much more enjoyable to sit in his room not caring or reading than deal with his sister at the moment. When he was younger, he was a bit more of an ass about it, but he’d chilled out by now. If he indulged her from time to time, it didn’t bug him and it kept Roxy off his tail. She wasn’t that bad, but Robin really preferred to be alone. Hours passed and eventually, Roxy and their mother started arguing. Not a big deal. He would just practice the piece the orchestra sight read today.

Robin’s room was quite a sight. Unlike the rest of the house, much of the decoration was black and violet rather than the pale greys of the rest of the house. Posters depicting covers of some of his favorite books hung on the walls, and he had a wall devoted to shelving his books and knitting supplies. It was like stepping into a different world. Picking up his violin, tuning, and tightening his bow, he got to work.

1st violin was somewhat tricky. Maintaining being in tune while playing notes in what seemed like 17th position was a struggle, but each part had its own struggles and this is just the one he would have to deal with. Practicing quickly turned less than useful when the argument turned into a screaming match. Pretending it wasn’t happening wouldn’t help either.

It wasn’t always like this.

Rowan was always a drinker. She really started when Robin was about 4, that was when it started becoming a frequent thing. Back then, it was after the kids went to bed, mommy got her glass of wine. A couple years later, it became after dinner, she had a few glasses. By 10, it was when she got home from work every day, and by the next year, it was full blown day drinking. Seeing the woman sober was a rare sight nowadays. Obviously, she had to be sober occasionally or else she would be dead by now, but it seemed like no amount of alcohol could destroy her.

Roxy on the other hand was less graceful or mysterious. Early into high school, she started drinking as a way to have fun at parties. High school was supposed to be wild after all. It started becoming more of a problem when she started coming home shitfaced, but their mom never said anything about it other than to ‘be safe.’ When Roxy turned 16, she was allowed to start drinking at home which is when she got drunk more often. If she wasn’t drunk, she was hung over. College didn’t help. More booze, more parties, and just like Rowan, it became a clear problem, but she didn’t seem to notice.

Robin decided to sit in bed and knit while listening to a podcast rather than letting himself focus too deeply on what was going on downstairs. After the fight had concluded though, a female voice whispered in his ear as he quietly said,

“Secret number 1, my sister and my mom both have severe drinking problems, and I’m worried about their wellbeing even if I pretend I don't care.” A feeling of sudden exhaustion washed over him, and his eyes slipped shut. Once he was asleep, an orange and gold spirit-like haze formed next to him.

“I’m sorry you cannot yet see the path forward, soon may your path forward be revealed.” The figure put away the knitting supplies, plugged in his phone, and placed a blanket overtop the boy. The figure flicked the lights off and vanished without a trace, leaving Robin to rest through the night.


End file.
